Constituent Corner

Justin Stanley, a marine veteran from Brooklyn, CT represents a shining success for Eastern Connecticut’s manufacturing pipeline. After 4 years of serving his country overseas in Asia, Justin found employment in a variety of jobs here in the states but wanted to find a stable career to support him and his family. Through his local veteran’s representatives, Justin heard about the advanced manufacturing program at Quinebaug Valley Community College (QVCC) and it was there that he discovered what would become his life’s work.

Meredith Clermont-Ferrand is a professor at Eastern Connecticut State University in Willimantic. Last spring, Meredith contacted my office seeking assistance with FedLoan Servicing, a private company that operates in partnership with the U.S. Dept. of Education. As a professor at ECSU, Meredith is eligible to participate in the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program that is designed to reimburse college graduates for student loans if they pursue a career in public service. In addition to working in a public service career, graduates must first make a total of 120 on-time monthly loan payments before qualifying for the PSLF program.

On June 3, 1969, Bill Thibeault was asleep on the destroyer USS Frank E. Evans as it sailed between Vietnam and the Spratly Islands before being struck by a much larger Australian aircraft carrier. The accident resulted in the ship being split in half with the bow section sinking in less than 5 minutes. A total of 74 sailors were killed in the disaster that day. Sadly, nearly 5 decades later, the names of Bill's deceased shipmates have still not been added to the Vietnam War Memorial wall because the Evans was technically outside of the designated combat zone, about 80 miles off the coast of Vietnam, when it was struck.

Katherine Kennedy, M.Ed., LMFT, is a licensed marriage and family therapist who maintains an independent practice in Mystic, CT. Her work as a therapist has impacted countless families facing personal struggle and hardship. She has also made it her mission to assist veterans and military personnel who are suffering from mental health challenges. Working from her office in Mystic, her proximity to the submarine base offers service members a convenient location to seek treatment. The veterans who see Katherine utilize their Department of Defense health insurance plan known as TRICARE.

Ernie first contacted my office in the summer of 2015 to request assistance with obtaining Korean Ambassador for Peace Medals for local Korean War veterans. I was happy to work with him on this effort, and since that time, we have presented nearly 200 of these medals to veterans across the Second Congressional District.